Magnetic Attraction
by SadaraLochlan
Summary: Trying out a version of my Admiral Pike/OC romance in which Pike doesn't die. Post STID, JJverse.
1. Chance Meetings

**Trying out a version in which Admiral Christopher Pike doesn't die. Post STID, JJVerse.**

Admiral Christopher Pike stepped out onto the terrace and let out a sigh of relief as he took in the much wanted fresh air. As the door swished shut behind him, it drowned out the chatter of the large assortment of individuals gathered inside the spacious ballroom on the second floor of Starfleet Headquarters. The former captain of the starship Enterprise resisted the nearly overpowering urge to lean against the wall in an undignified expression of desire to be anywhere else but at this tedious little diplomatic function. It wasn't that he hated diplomatic functions. Indeed, some of the most interesting conversations he'd ever had occurred at these sorts of events. However, they ran entirely too long; and attendance was almost always mandatory at Pike's rank. He supposed that had a lot to do with why he felt dragged in irons to these things.

Glancing up at the stars twinkling overhead, Pike thought about the USS Enterprise and could almost feel her calling to him again. There was a connection between a man and his ship that simply couldn't be explained to those who had never experienced it. The legendary Starfleet officer did miss starship command, but he was no spring chicken anymore and he desired to settle down and have a family before he got too much older. Satisfied that his former first officer, James T. Kirk had finally gotten it through his thick skull that rules and regulations existed for good reasons, Pike relinquished command of the Enterprise to the younger man about a year prior.

The handsome admiral made his way further out on to the terrace to lean against the railing and look out over the trees, ponds, and pathways that weaved through the courtyard. Cherry blossoms had brightened the landscape to a cheerful light pink and they swayed in the light breeze. It was very early springtime, but the temperature was pleasant. Pike still walked with a slight limp, but the last four years of physical therapy had yielded enough progress that he had finally been able to shed the cane he had used for three years; a cane he wouldn't have needed had it not been for that madman Nero and the Centaurian slug he'd forced down Pike's throat. The slug had attached itself to the brainstem and had enabled Nero to gain information from Pike through pain and mind control that he might not otherwise have been able to. Fortunately, medical science had made it possible for the slug to be removed; however it had left the admiral crippled and confined to a wheelchair for some time. Time, physical therapy, and the sheer willpower of Christopher Pike had made it possible for him to walk without assistance once more.

A slight movement just below and in front of the terrace caught Admiral Pike's eye. A young woman also dressed for the diplomatic function approached the bench next to the closest pond, but didn't sit immediately. Her long, off the shoulder dress was a light baby blue and her dark brown hair flowed down her back in loose curls. Pike could just make out her profile from the way she was standing and noted the delicately pointed ear now exposed as the young woman pushed a few stray tendrils away from her face. His bright blue eyes widened in surprise at the realization that a Vulcan had taken it upon herself to dress in a more human fashion. She appeared much younger than the Starfleet officer had expected. Most of the attendees at tonight's gathering were the spouses of admirals and diplomats. This woman looked as if she was more likely a daughter or granddaughter. Still, she was lovely, but Pike knew most Vulcan woman were betrothed early in life and couldn't imagine this young woman's situation was any different. At any rate, the graying admiral also wasn't optimistic that he'd be able to attract one so young at this point in his life. He did want children still so he had to admit that he wanted a woman young enough to bear them. The difficulty was finding one who would also be content with a much older man; a man no longer in his prime, but would be planetside now for the remainder of his career and had the time to devote to a family.

Had he not been convinced the young woman before him was not free, Pike might have introduced himself. As it was, he rose to his full height, making a slight noise as he adjusted his weight.

The young woman turned her head in the direction of the noise and looked up to find Admiral Pike looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Their eyes met and both found that they couldn't look away. The attraction was instant and mutual, Pike noted with some surprise as he found her gazing at him with as much captivation as he was her. He wasn't certain if this was what was meant by "love at first sight" but it certainly felt close to that. He wanted to speak, but his breath caught in his throat, preventing him from potentially ruining what had to be a perfect moment.

The young woman was in a similar quandary. Even with a background in psychology, attraction and emotional attachment were still mysterious and unpredictable. She'd heard many a human, females in particular, tell others that "you'll know him when you see him" or "he'll show up when you're not looking." While the young brunette had never preoccupied herself with such things, there was no doubt in her mind she was experiencing both right there, right now.

The man, an admiral she noted taking in the rank pips on his uniform's shoulder boards, was very charismatic in a quiet, dignified way. His bright blue eyes held wisdom, warmth, and humor. Lines creased his handsome face that could only have been produced by years of stress in devotion and duty to Starfleet; and his hair was starting to gray slightly on the sides. Somehow, the woman had a feeling that he was attractive now in a way that he hadn't been when he was younger. She'd noticed in many human men that age had a way of making them attractive in ways that sheer physical looks and youth couldn't do.

Finally, Pike shook himself out of it. "I'm sorry, miss; I hadn't meant to disturb you."

"Not at all, Admiral. I was just taking a break from the… festivities. I'm afraid my sensitive Vulcan ears can only handle so many conversations going on around me at once. I start to feel crowded, I guess you could say."

Pike smiled at that and the young woman noted that he appeared much younger when he smiled openly. "You too huh? Christopher Pike."

"Sadara Lochlan," the young woman returned with a slight inclination of her head.

Blue eyes widened in surprise as Admiral Pike noticed the slight Irish accent in her speech. It was not everyday one met a half Vulcan woman who dressed like a human and spoke with an Earth accent. For one crazy moment, Pike wondered if she wasn't actually Vulcan, but rather some mystical creature from a fantasy novel.

"Related to Admirals Thomas and Brian Lochlan?" He decided she had to be as he recalled that Brian Lochlan's wife was Vulcan and Sadara bore a rather striking resemblance to her. It had been years since he'd met her though; and it was probably at one of these joyous little gatherings.

"Guilty as charged," Sadara grinned sheepishly. "They are my grandfather and father, respectively."

The knowledge made Pike's heart sink. He'd served with those two a long time. As much as he wished to ask the young woman out, he couldn't imagine what he'd say to Thomas and Brian. Would he as a father to a young woman want someone his age pursuing her? He supposed it would depend on the caliber of man in question, but still…

"Well, I should get back inside. It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Lochlan."

As he went back inside the crowded ballroom, he hoped the noise would distract him from the sight of the young woman's disappointed expression. He simply felt heartsick, if there was anything simple about that feeling.


	2. Official Functions

It took him a few minutes, but Christopher Pike eventually located the Admirals Lochlan. He caught them off to the far side of the densely populated ballroom conversing with Minister Kuvak and Ambassador Soval and weaved through the suffocating throng of people to join them after scoring himself a fresh cup of coffee.

"Am I disturbing you, gentlemen?"

"Not at all, Chris," Thomas Lochlan grinned heartily and brought his champagne glass to his lips for another sip. The elder admiral's voice was loud and carried; and his son, Brian occasionally had to remind him to keep it down, usually by jabbing him in the ribs with an elbow. Both father and son spoke with quite heavy Irish accents; fortunately, not so heavily accented that they couldn't be understood by those from other realms.

"Yes, please join us, Admiral Pike," Ambassador Soval nodded.

Soval and Kuvak were getting up there in years; both were over 200 years old. In fact, if Pike's memory served, Soval was likely nearing the maximum range of the Vulcan lifespan which was said to sometimes reach 250 years old. Part of the reason for the gathering had been that Ambassador Soval was retiring from his distinguished professional career and would be returning to Vulcan within a few days to live out the remainder of his long and full life.

Pike took a sip of his coffee, now satisfied that it had cooled down enough and glanced over at Minister Kuvak, whom he could recall having only met once or twice before.

"To what do we owe the pleasure, Minister Kuvak? I hadn't heard you'd be in attendance."

The wizened, completely white haired Vulcan smiled slightly. "Indeed, Admiral. I am visiting family. My granddaughter, Solara and great granddaughter, Sadara reside on Earth. I make it a point to visit them a few times a year. They are present at this gathering, if only one could ascertain where they've gone."

The younger Lochlan, Brian chuckled. "Sadara is probably off exploring the joint. We never could keep her cooped up anywhere for long. Been like that since she's was old enough to crawl. I brought her along because she's expressed an interest in joining Starfleet after she was done with her doctorate studies. I wanted to show her what her schedule would look like if she ever deigned to accept the admiralty."

The thinly veiled, but good natured sarcasm produced a good old fashioned belly laugh from Thomas. "Good thinking, son."

After many years of working with humans, Kuvak and Soval understood the joke, but as Vulcans they simply raised eyebrows in acknowledgement.

Pike smiled slightly, but his bright blue eyes seemed haunted. "I met her a few moments ago out on the terrace. She was going for a stroll through the courtyard."

"Given the profession that my great granddaughter has chosen it may be in her best interest to pursue those career goals off of New Vulcan; even though it would please me greatly to have her near," Kuvak volunteered with a slight sigh. It was obvious that his age was beginning to weigh heavily on him. "The powers that be on New Vulcan are trying to replicate the culture and society as identically as they can to the ways we had on Vulcan. It is still a meritocracy; and though Sadara is unquestionably suited to a career in the mental health fields, there simply isn't much demand for such skills among the Vulcan people."

Pike's brows knitted together in confusion. He knew that Vulcans were an intensely private people, but with the destruction of their homeworld, the graying admiral found it difficult to believe that even they would continue to avoid discussing it.

Noticing the Starfleet officer's surprise at that, Ambassador Soval nodded in agreement with Minister Kuvak. "Minister Kuvak is quite correct. It is true that the Vulcan people continue to cope with the loss of our homeworld privately. It is unfortunate that the nature of our society would make it difficult for her to practice her profession on New Vulcan, but it is what it is."

"Psychiatry would have been a profession more conducive to practice on New Vulcan; however I had little interest in attending medical school," Sadara Lochlan said as she joined the small group with her mother, Solara. A slight smile lifted the corners of her full, pink lips. "A psychiatrist would diagnose and treat actual medical conditions that lead to mental disorders; something that occurs occasionally among Vulcans as well, especially given the touch telepathic nature of the species. They're more needed among Vulcans than simple counselors who address more minor personal problems with clients; problems Vulcans in general prefer to solve on their own."

"Glad you could join us, my daughter," Brian smiled enthusiastically. It was obvious that Sadara was the apple of his eye. No doubt it helped that she was also the red headed admiral's only child.

"My ears were burning," Sadara smiled as she caught Pike's gaze lingering on her. He had a hopeful look in his warm blue eyes as if he wanted to continue where they left off earlier and she had every intention of fulfilling it.

Brian Lochlan, protective father that he was, noticed the gaze and raised a questioning eyebrow at the man he'd served with for many years. He also noticed that his daughter returned Pike's gaze with a similar one of her own. Admiral Lochlan wasn't sure how he felt about what he thought he was seeing. Pike shifted guiltily and averted his eyes, then chastised himself for being caught staring. And he still didn't know what to say to the man.

_Your daughter is lovely. So sue me._

"Not very discreet, are they?" The bearded Admiral Thomas Lochlan whispered in his son's ear and lightly jabbed him in the ribs with a quiet chuckle. Thomas always managed to amaze his son with his ability to see what other people figured went right by him. He'd seem to have mastered the art of observation without letting others know what he'd seen. It had worked to his advantage many times as a starship captain earlier in his career.

"We had been wondering where you and your mother had run off to. I'm afraid it did lead to discussion about your schooling and career choices."

"I fear I have a few more years of schooling to go and then an internship so I'm not quite there yet." The young Vulcan/Human hybrid ducked her head as if embarrassed that she wasn't quite finished with school yet even though she was anything but behind. Still, she didn't feel like an overachiever by any means, especially in the presence of Ambassador Soval and Minister Kuvak.

"And when you're done, you might choose to work on your father's deplorable sense of humor," Solara joked. Her expression remained impassive, but her dark blue eyes shone with mirth.

Ambassador Soval shifted slightly and looked to Minister Kuvak. "If you will excuse us, gentlemen, the hour grows late and there are still some issues the minister and I must discuss."

Adjusting his long, formal robes, Soval inclined his head respectfully along with his blue eyed countryman and departed.

"Of course! Ambassador. Minister." Thomas Lochlan nodded jovially before turning to his son and his wife. "I think it's about time we started wrapping this circus up as well, wouldn't you say, son?"

He leaned over and whispered in his son's ear again, hoping his boy would get the hint. "Leave them be."

With a sigh, Brian followed his father into the crowd with Solara a few steps behind him. "Dad, that's my daughter. What about the age difference? Or better yet, what if he hurts her?! I don't want my daughter hurt or my friendship with Chris ruined over his mid life crisis, if that's what it is. You never had a daughter so you have no idea the worry involved in having one!"

Thomas, a tall and husky man, continued pushing his way through the crowd, but was listening to everything his older son was saying. It was true that Thomas never had a daughter, only sons, but he still felt that Brian was overly concerned and likely to be overly involved in whatever attraction was developing between Chris Pike and Sadara.

"You are correct, son. I do not know what it is like to have a daughter, but I do know that age is just a number and that the last man in the universe that would intentionally hurt Sadara would be Chris Pike. I have seen too much in my life to think that a little thing like a few decades should come between two people who wish to see how they'd be together. Some said that you and Solara wouldn't make it because you come from different species. You chose to go ahead with it and prove them wrong. Let your daughter make her own choices as well."

Brian had a feeling his father would say something like that. Thomas Lochlan never failed to have an overly optimistic view of any situation. The man was a romantic at heart and had difficulty being a cynic, especially in matters of love.

Thomas stopped. "Look son, you and I have both known Chris a long time. If I know him as well as I think I do, he's already chastised himself for what you're bringing up now. The man deserves to be happy so just let it be. Do I have to make that an order?"

The younger admiral realized his father was just kidding with that last part, but he got the drift.

"Alright, but if it goes sideways I'm blaming you."

"That's my boy."


	3. Fathers

Admiral Christopher Pike and Captain James T. Kirk exited Pike's office. Starfleet's flagship was holed up in spacedock for the next week or so undergoing repairs after the latest skirmish with the Klingons. It had been nearing the end of the duty day when Kirk had decided to visit his surrogate father in his office so the younger man hadn't worried too much that he'd be interrupting something important. Still, he couldn't help but notice that Pike seemed unusually tense, even for a man wearing as many rank pips as he did.

"Excuse me, Admiral," Kirk sounded almost hesitant to ask the question, but plowed through anyway. "Is everything okay? You seem nervous about something."

"Yes," Pike answered immediately, still staring at the wall as they waited for the turbolift to arrive on their floor. Total silence reigned for a long moment, and then finally the admiral sighed and grumbled. "No. Hell, I don't know! I feel like a damned 18 year old again."

_Okay, that was a little harsher than what I'd expected…_ Kirk thought as his bright blue eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected vehemence at the normally calm Admiral Pike. "Isn't feeling younger supposed to be a good thing?"

"It isn't the way you think, James," Pike sighed again, wondering just how much of his problem he should spill to the impulsive young man. "I… met this young woman the other night; and there's an attraction on her end I think as well as mine. But… I found out shortly afterwards that she's Admiral Brian Lochlan's daughter."

Kirk's expression turned incredulous. "Wait a minute, Admiral Lochlan had a daughter?! How come I never knew this?!"

"Jim…," the slightly graying admiral gave the blonder young man a warning look.

"Okay, okay," Kirk said, focusing on Admiral Pike's dilemma again; then it dawned on him. "Wait… you're not going to ask his permission, are you?"

Pike looked around to make certain no one was nearby that might be listening in. He really didn't like news of his personal life making the rounds around Starfleet HQ at warp factor nine. After what seemed like a lifetime, the turbolift finally arrived with a cheerful chime and Pike limped in ahead of Captain Kirk and commanded the lift to stop a few levels below their present location.

"Like I said, I feel like a nervous teenager again expecting to be staring down the barrel of the girl's father's shotgun. At my age it feels juvenile, but I've served and been friends with Brian Lochlan since we were lieutenants on the Sutherland. It just doesn't feel right to date his daughter without talking to him first. I certainly don't want the friendship ruined over it. Still… at my age it feels ridiculous."

The lift slowed to a halt and Pike stepped out into the dimly lit corridor. Obviously, people were clearing out for the night. He looked back at Jim Kirk, who had a teasing smile on his boyish face.

"Well, good luck, sir. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. And if she turns you down, send her my way."

The last thing Kirk saw as the lift doors swished shut again was Pike's sarcastic scowl.

W^^^W^^^W

Pike approached the door to Admiral Lochlan's office to find it cracked open just slightly. He listened for a moment, but could hear no voices; and he fervently wished that the admiral was in because Pike seriously wanted to get this over with. At his age, he felt ludicrous asking anyone for permission to date their daughter, but in this case, he felt the circumstances warranted the necessity. Perhaps had he been able to get the girl out of his mind he would have been able to let this go, but he hadn't been able to do that so far.

He tapped on the door gently and pushed it open after he heard the slightly older admiral call for him to enter.

A bright, genuine smile spread across the redheaded admiral's face. "Chris, come in! Have a seat."

Pike lowered himself into the chair in front of Lochlan's desk and leaned back, trying to appear as relaxed as he possibly could given the circumstances. "I hope I'm not disturbing you, Brian."

"Not at all! Not at all! In fact, I'm glad for the visit. If people didn't drop by here in the afternoon, I'd probably get so caught up with work that I'd forget to go home. So just what brings you by my humble office on your way out the door?"

Pike drew in a breath and decided to just spit it out as directly as possible rather than beat around the bush. "To be honest, your daughter, sir. As awkward as it feels for me to be doing this at my age, I feel that it's only proper to ask your permission to date Sadara. I have too much respect for our friendship and years of service together for you to hear about it from the rumor mill later."

Lochlan rose and padded his way toward the large office window and gazed out at the courtyards below. He was tall like his father, but the years hadn't quite put the weight on the younger Lochlan yet. He had the same green eyes and Irish accent.

"You do understand why I'd have some concerns, Chris?" Lochlan's voice was serious. He had a feeling that he and Chris might be discussing this at some point; and his father, Thomas had advised him to simply leave well enough alone.

"I do, sir. I imagine if I had a daughter I would be concerned about the age difference and her being hurt somehow, sure. I can't predict the future so I can't guarantee that things would work out between me and her, but I can promise you that I'd never intentionally do anything to hurt her."

"I know that, Chris. Forgive me if I seem overprotective of her. She's my only child. As much as Solara and I wanted to have more children, the pregnancy was very difficult for both of them. We almost lost Sadara twice. I had no wish to put Solara through that again so the two of them are all I have. You may date her; but keep in mind, I know where you work."

Christopher Pike couldn't help but laugh out loud at that at Brian's teasing smile. He knew there was an element of seriousness underlying Brian's humor, but the clichéd threat was still amusing.

"Understood, sir."

Brian nodded and returned to his desk to punch off his computer terminal for the night, then grabbed his jacket and his headgear. "Now come on, let's get out of here. And get drinks on the way home. I need a damn beer. I know you sure as hell do."


	4. Music

For a first date, it had been decided that something quiet like a visit to the park would be ideal. Pike and Sadara had both agreed that going to the movies as a first date was counterproductive as it discouraged the much needed "get to know you" conversations.

What they had already learned about each other was that they were both had learned to play the guitar when they were younger so they brought their guitars along and parked themselves under a tree. It was early April so the temperature, though warm, was still cool enough that not much shade was required. And Sadara, being half Vulcan, preferred the temperature to be at a point that humans considered hot. While it was warm enough for Pike to be outside without a sweater or jacket, Sadara was still wrapped up in a fairly warm jacket.

"Despite having grown up on Earth, my Vulcan physiology still won't adapt to the cooler temperatures. I feel like I'm always freezing. Take me to Death Valley and I might feel warmer," she joked, seeing Pike taking note of her layers of clothes. "And before you ask, we don't need to move inside. I'm warm enough now, I assure you."

Christopher Pike was fervently glad that he and Sadara had music in common because music was one of those ageless things that would help to bridge the rather large age gap between them. Even better was that they not only had a love of music, but they could both play an instrument or two. Being able to make music would give them a hobby in common; something they could practice together. He wondered if she could sing. In his younger days, early in his career, Pike and a number of his friends often played together. He missed those days, but they were long gone as some of those old buddies had been killed in the line of duty some years before. Those were some bittersweet memories; and as Pike and Sadara both removed their guitars from their respective cases, Pike noted with some sadness and regret that his hadn't much play recently save for the occasional lazy, Saturday afternoon when he'd practice by himself.

The couple had already scarfed lunch at a nearby restaurant. They'd covered a number of the usual first date highlights such as common interests, family, education and career. Pike had learned that even though Sadara had been brought up on Earth, she had still spent quite a bit of time on Vulcan. The three months taken for summer break from school on Earth had been used for her to visit her grandparents with her mother, Solara on Vulcan and learn about Vulcan culture. During the nine months on Earth, Solara did her utmost to tutor her daughter in Vulcan studies and other practices, such as meditation and mind melds. Though Solara had wished for Sadara to make her own choices regarding her lifestyle, the young Vulcan mother worried that the decision to follow more human ways would end up ostracizing her from Vulcan as what the Vulcan people considered V'tosh Ka'tur, translated as "Vulcans without logic." And with the destruction of Vulcan, the survivors were even more desperate to preserve their way of life. Solara believed they would either shun her daughter completely or accept her completely, hoping for her to marry a full Vulcan and have children.

Sadara had explained to Pike that naturally she had no wish to be shunned by the Vulcan people, especially now given the circumstances. And that even though she hadn't grown up on Vulcan, she did feel a deep sense of loss with the dusky hued planet's destruction.

For the older man, Pike had enjoyed a fairly quiet childhood growing up in Mojave, California. His father had also been a Starfleet Officer, but the young Pike hadn't felt any real draw to it until he'd encountered a Commander Alexander Marcus who had a compelling argument for joining. Before that, young Christopher had keenly felt his father's constant absence and had found comfort in his horse, Tango, guitar lessons, and running around with his circle of friends. If only Jim Kirk knew about the trouble a young Christopher Pike got into it, the rear admiral would never hear the end of it. Pike had gotten his wake up call a bit younger than Jim was when Pike had found him, drunk and bloodied from a bar fight, but he had definitely seen shades of his younger self in the impulsive young man.

A love of horses had turned out to be something else they had in common. While Pike had actually owned one, Sadara had yet to have that opportunity. With her own father having been gone on a starship much of her childhood, it had been decided that having one as a pet wasn't feasible as Brian wouldn't be home much to teach her how to care for and ride one. Her parents had compromised however and signed her up for riding lessons a couple times a week so she could spend time working with horses.

"So how did you get to playing the guitar?" Pike asked as he plucked at the strings on his a bit.

"My father plays. He started teaching me from the time I was able to understand what he was explaining to me. And it had to start out that way too. It was several years before I was big enough to comfortably hold this thing. My mom taught me how to play the Vulcan lyre, which is similar to a harp. I'd still love to learn to play the violin and the piano, but I haven't gotten there yet."

Pike nodded. "No one in my family played. A childhood friend at the time was taking guitar lessons and I asked my parents if I could join him."

Finally deciding to play something from the long gone band of ZZ Top, Pike focused on his guitar for a few moments until his lack of consistent practice in the last few years gave way to muscle memory and the playing felt more natural again. Sadara joined him after picking up on the song he was playing. Pike grinned, pleasantly surprised that she recognized the song as well. He was convinced that he and Sadara were off to a great start.


	5. The Talk

**There was a request at one point for "the talk" as opposed to these two just jumping on each other so...**

The physical aspect of the relationship had progressed more slowly. It had absolutely nothing to do with lack of desire for each other; quite the opposite in fact. As in the very beginning, the accomplished former starship captain was choosing to be extra careful and respectful of Admiral Lochlan's daughter. He knew as certainly as he knew that the sun rose in the east that he wasn't experiencing some misleading mid-life crisis. He was far too self aware for that. He knew he loved Sadara and was in love with her.

It had admittedly been difficult to hold back his physical desire for her, but he had wanted to be certain of their feelings for each other before they made love for the first time. Now three months into their relationship, he felt they could wait no longer. Trying to push each other away with painful reminders about wanting to wait was beginning to feel increasingly futile and unnecessary. They were serious about each other and no longer wished to deny each other the physical intimacy they craved.

Pike had invited her back to his place that Friday evening after he'd gotten off duty. Sadara was almost always on time so Pike planned to begin making supper as soon as she arrived and they could discuss the awkward, but necessary topics of their expectations of each other after crossing this bridge and what they'd want in the even of an "accident." Pike devoutly hoped that would be a situation they wouldn't have to face, especially given her father's potential wrath, but it couldn't be discounted as a possibility; and if they were responsible adults, they'd willingly discuss it even though it would threaten the romantic mood of the evening.

Sadara arrived on time as expected and the Vulcan/Human hybrid had come bearing goodies from the nearby coffee shop. She had never acquired the taste for coffee so she had decided on hot chocolate for herself; but her man was an avid coffee drinker, so much so that Sadara sometimes teased him about it, asking him what he'd ever do if he had to function without it. To that the Starfleet officer would only smile enigmatically. In addition to the drinks was coffee cake for dessert. Pike could swear sometimes that she read his mind.

"So…," she murmured quietly, almost embarrassed to mention it as she took in the ingredients for supper spread out over the counter. "The birth control situation has been taken care of."

Her arms encircled his waist from behind and she rested her chin on his shoulder, something she might not been able to do easily had she not been wearing heels that evening. Her shoulder length chocolate brown hair flowed in bouncy curls about her bare shoulders. The mint green color of her strapless dress set off the color of her hair and skin to perfection.

Pike chuckled as he turned in her arms to face her. "You wasted no time with that, I see."

"We've held back long enough. At the risk of sounding like a total goof, "punch it."

Giggling, Sadara ducked quickly and only just missed the gentle swat of the oven mitt Pike snagged from the countertop. Pike shook his head with a deep chuckle of his own and continued dinner preparations.

"Fettuccine Alfredo I see. You know me well."

"Let's just say I'm observant," Pike replied.

Sadara nodded, turning serious once more. "You need to know that I'm not on injections. Vulcan physiology doesn't respond well to hormonal birth control. And unlike human women, Vulcan females are fertile the majority of the time so we still need to be careful."

"Understood. And on that note…," Pike said turning to her once more and running his hands through her hair. "I want you to know that if you do get pregnant, I won't ever run out on you. Ideally, children should come after marriage, but in case it doesn't, I don't want you worrying about anything. I will take care of you and our baby. I mean that."

Sadara nodded. "I know you would, Chris. Given my Vulcan physiology though, it's probable that the pregnancy would terminate itself shortly after the fourth week without medical intervention. I would likely miscarry."

That gave Pike an uneasy feeling and his expression turned stern and serious. "Sadara, I need you to promise me that if you think even for an instant you might be pregnant that you'll tell me right away. As far as I'm concerned an unplanned pregnancy won't be an unwanted one. The last thing I'd want is to lose a child to miscarriage when medical care would save it."

Sadara's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Chris, I didn't mean that I'd hide it from you and let nature finish it off. Of course not! I just… if this works out between us, having a child later could be difficult. I just thought I'd mention it since we were on the subject."

"I know. I'm sorry. I hadn't meant to sound like I was accusing you of anything. I just don't want us to have to go through something like that. I have friends who have been through that with their spouses and it looked and sounded like pure hell for them."

Wrapping her arms around her lover again, Sadara looked up into his bright blue eyes. She saw the honesty there, the trust, and naturally the concern. She pondered the problem for a moment and tried to think of something she could do besides the barrier method of birth control she'd chosen to help assuage his worries.

"If it would reassure you, I would willingly take a pregnancy test every month so if it happens we catch it as early as possible?" It was all she could think of at the moment. Humans and Vulcans tended to conceive easily, owing the human male and Vulcan female's respective physiologies; but carrying the child to term was an entirely different and more difficult accomplishment. Barrier methods weren't quite as effective as hormonal birth control, but her physiology wouldn't work with injections and something was better than nothing though there was still the potential for an accident.

Pike smiled warmly and kissed her deeply, hoping to convey how much her willingness to do that meant to him. "It does sound a bit overkill, but honestly, that would make me feel better."

"Well this has been decidedly unsexy," Sadara chuckled. "Perhaps after we eat we can find a way to get back in the mood.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that," Pike murmured, noticing how the mint green dress clung to her curves.


	6. Vulcan Ways

**Long chapter because there are a few things going on in my life that may or may not reduce the amount of time I have to write in the near future. Surgery among those things.**

"So when I asked when I was going to see more of your Vulcan half, this wasn't quite what I had in mind…," Christopher Pike chuckled as he emerged from his bedroom clad in only a loose pair of jeans.

Sadara looked up from her position on the maroon colored couch with a slanted eyebrow raised in perfect imitation of the same look of surprise that Spock had often given the Starfleet admiral. She kept plucking skillfully at the Vulcan lyre she was cradling comfortably in her arms, playing a tune Pike had never heard before and assumed was Vulcan in origin.

"How so?" Sadara asked.

Pike thought about that. There was obviously nothing unVulcan about what she was currently doing; after all, both the instrument and the song were from her mother's homeworld. He really did have to think about what exactly it was he'd been expecting from her Vulcan half.

"I suppose I expected to find you meditating or something along those lines. Maybe an outfit or two in the Vulcan style, a lecture on the illogical nature of human beings…"

Pike lowered himself onto the couch next to her and admired the instrument she held for a moment.

"Family heirloom," Sadara volunteered. "Are you wishing for a more Vulcan woman then? Because you know… it would be illogical to wish for me to be someone other than who I am."

A rueful chuckle escaped Pike as he realized that she just given him exactly what he'd asked for and in a way that illustrated her point in classic Vulcan logic. "No, of course not. I'm in love with you the way you are. I am just curious about your Vulcan heritage. I wouldn't want you to think that I wouldn't love that part of you as well."

Sadara stopped playing and handed her Vulcan lyre over to Pike so he could look it over for fun; and then she leaned back against the couch. Her mint colored dress was a startling contrast in color against the reddish hued couch.

"I've never assumed you wouldn't. I do meditate often, but you don't see that because I do that when I'm alone. When I'm with you, I'm giving you my undivided attention as is only proper and respectful. I do speak the language. In fact, my mother and I choose to speak in Vulcan when we're not in the company of those who don't speak the language. I do the same with my other Vulcan relatives. And of course, I'm familiar with the culture, customs, and history of the Vulcan people. On Earth, I simply don't have to follow those as often. If I were on New Vulcan, you would no doubt see more of my Vulcan side as I would be among other Vulcans where those customs would apply."

Sadara paused, realizing that had gotten more long winded than she'd anticipated. She had been quite detailed though as fitting for a person of Vulcan heritage. Something else occurred to her though as she studied her lover's pensive expression, digesting her words.

"What concerns you, Chris?" Her expression was serious and Pike realized she wouldn't believe him if he tried to play it off as nothing. He leaned toward her and reached for her face, cupping it gently in his large, strong hands. He chose his words carefully as he stroked her cheeks.

"I know this is a difficult topic for you. To a lesser extent it is for me as well. I know I couldn't possibly identify with a Vulcan in terms of losing one's homeworld; but I've mentioned before how I was prisoner on the Romulan ship when Vulcan was destroyed. Nero was watching the whole thing on a monitor as he was trying to pull information out of me. I saw the whole damned thing too. I still have nightmares about it. I wonder if there was more I could have done to prevent it."

Sadara listened intently to her lover recount his experiences aboard the Nerada. Her heart hurt for him, knowing that as a starship captain, it had been painful for him to realize that he'd failed in protecting the Vulcan people on that mission. It wasn't the most enjoyable topic for her either. Half of her heritage had come from that lost world; and there had been a number of quests she could have undertaken there at some point in her life had fate been kinder.

"How can I help?" The Vulcan/Human hybrid asked softly.

Pike shook his head and dropped his hands from her face.

"Trust me, I've seen a shrink or two on the subject. Starfleet mandated given the traumatic nature of the experience. More counseling isn't what I'm getting at. If this works out between us, I don't want your Vulcan half to be ignored, especially for our children if we're ever blessed enough to have any. I know you've said that being a hybrid hasn't always been smooth sailing, but you shouldn't deny yourself your Vulcan heritage nor should our children be denied that. Not many Vulcans are left. I daresay we'd have a responsibility to help preserve that culture."

A dark, slanted eyebrow lifted once more. "Logical," she said simply. Pike noted with some interest how stoic her expression had become as the topic had turned so serious. Her big, sapphire eyes were haunted though and the former starship captain knew that she wasn't as unaffected as she was trying to appear. He knew she had more difficulty feeling comfortable with expressing emotions like embarrassment and sadness. She had said once those feelings made her feel the most vulnerable.

Silence hung between them like a dense fog for what felt like an eternity, then Sadara nodded. "Should we find ourselves bonded and with a family, I will honor your wishes."

"You know, even if we don't work out, you could still honor my wishes…," Pike joked, though there was an undertone of seriousness in his voice.

"One thing at a time. I for one, would prefer to be optimistic and look to thing working out between us."

"I can't argue that," Pike said as he rose from the couch and padded over to the fireplace, looking to stoke up a warm, cozy fire. The evening had been almost entirely filled with serious topics and Pike wanted to lighten the mood before he accidentally ran Sadara off to the Karaoke bar with her best friend, Kathleen Bradley.

He poked at his fire some more, satisfied at its intensity, and then disappeared into the bedroom. He returned with a couple of thick blankets and a few pillows, creating a makeshift bed in front of the fireplace.

Sadara's breath caught in her throat as she realized the sudden turn in direction of the evening and butterflies of nervousness knotted her stomach. The moment had been long anticipated, but now that it was here, she couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. Overshadowing that though was her desire for the man; and the embers of that desire held in check by the serious topics of the evening were now threatening to ignite into an inferno that would make the fireplace next to them seem downright freezing.

She remained on the couch for a few moments longer, admiring the well defined muscles of his torso. He was an extremely attractive man for a human of any age, but the young hybrid still shook her head in amazement at how fit he was at his age. Even with the limp hampering his ability to go for a jog like he used to do, he had still managed to find a way to hang on to that body; a body that would give the young guys out there a run for their money.

The shadows of the fireplace danced across his face and torso as he finished adjusting the makeshift bed; and then he poked at the fire a bit more before turning to Sadara and offering her a hand up. She took it, rising from the couch and Pike folded her into his arms. His mouth sought hers and the kiss was tender at first, but quickly became ardent. Sadara reached behind her to tug at the zipper of her mint hued dress and it pooled on the floor at her feet. The same small hands snaked between them next to caress her lover's chest, long fingers running through the thick, course hair. They wandered lower, over his abs, and down toward the fly of his jeans at what, to Pike, seemed like an excruciating eternity.

They came up for air long enough for Pike to notice the impish grin on his girlfriend's face as she very slowly pulled on the zipper of his jeans.

"So you delight in torturing me?" He teased, cupping her breasts. They kissed again.

"Well, I don't know about delight…," Sadara returned with a smirk and she let him off the hook as she quickly finished her task. Her hand snaked inside, finding the rock hard evidence of his arousal and the Vulcan/Human hybrid thrilled to his low moan of desire.

Pike gently coaxed her to lie down and then he tugged off his pants. Covering her body with his, he nipped and kissed at her jawline and her neck and shoulders and was rewarded with her sharp gasp and full body shiver. Pike chuckled deeply in his lover's ear at the discovery, sending another rolling wave of desire through her. His deep voice was just as incredible as the rest of him. Clutching his shoulders, her hips instinctively rocked against him, wanting him inside her now. Pike's grin was infectious as he realized her impatience and decided that turnabout was fair play. The nips and kisses began trailing slowly down her torso and Sadara growled impatiently.

She looked at him, her eyes cloudy with desire and frustration and then surprise as she realized he was smiling up at her with one of his rare, genuinely happy smiles.

"Patience, Sadara; that's an order," he murmured deeply as he continued the gentle assault.

"Last time I checked I wasn't one of your officers," she teased.

Reaching down, Pike explored her with his fingers and finally relented as she rocked her hips with insistence at him again. The truth was he wasn't sure how much patience he had left in himself. It had been a while for him; not for lack of opportunities, but more because the handsome Starfleet admiral wasn't given to one night stands. He felt it was disrespectful to the woman and possibly even himself.

The kiss was tender and almost apologetic. She had told him earlier in the relationship that she'd never been with anyone before. Pike wasn't certain how much pain he might bring her as he took her innocence, but there was a first time for everything so avoiding it was pointless as she would no doubt remind him.

He penetrated her swiftly, hoping to get her passed the pain as quickly as possible and winced as she gasped sharply. He remained still, letting her get used to him, even as he groaned at the exquisite, silken tightness of her depths that clenched reflexively at the invasion. The urge to thrust was nearly overpowering, but he fought it down as he gazed into her wide, blue eyes. Her hips rocked against him once more, encouraging him and whimpering impatiently and he began thrusting with a steady, but enthusiastic pace.

Realizing he was getting too close, too soon Pike slowed. Sadara wouldn't have it though and she clenched around him again on purpose in an attempt to get him to speed it up again. Pike's bright blue eyes showed surprise, but he obliged her happily. He had expected her to take longer like most women, but she didn't seem to be far behind him. He picked up the pace, her moans spurring him on until he felt like he was being almost rough with her. She bit down on his shoulder hard with a growl as her climax crashed down on her. Inwardly relieved that his lover had achieved release, Pike relaxed and allowed himself the same, erupting into her with a guttural cry.

Coming down from their highs, blue eyes locked on blue and the couple shared a long, tender kiss. Parting for air after a long moment, Sadara looked suddenly sheepish and reached up to gingerly trace the bite mark on his left shoulder.

"I have to admit, I never thought you'd bite me," Pike teased her.

"I hadn't expected it either really, but apparently I marked you in the heat of the moment."

"Marked me?"

"Yes," Sadara nodded. "As mine. It's… instinctive among Vulcans. You said you wanted to see more of my Vulcan half."

"That I did," Pike admitted with a chuckle as he brushed her dark brown hair away from her face. He shifted to lay beside her.

Her eyes suddenly clouded with what appeared to be confusion and concern as if there were a problem.

"Sadara? What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I didn't ever realize what I'd done until afterwards."

"It's not a big deal, sweetheart. It wouldn't be my first battle scar."

She chuckled, but shook her head again. "It's not that. The mark implies a bondmate relationship. I hadn't realized it before, but apparently on an unconscious level I have already decided you're my mate. Apparently, I'm more Vulcan than I realized."

Pike's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Are you saying we're married now by Vulcan law?"

"No," Sadara shook her head. She was wondering when she'd start to feel dizzy from all the head shaking. "I would have warned you beforehand if that were the case. But the mark does indicate some… possessiveness on my part as well as a desire for a more permanent situation between us."

"I'm not sure we've been together long enough for marriage to be on the horizon, though I understand Vulcan marriages are arranged much differently."

"I know that, Chris. This surprised me as much as it does you."

"Well, I do have to say that I'm flattered that you apparently wish to keep me forever."

Sadara laughed at that and teased him. "You should be."

"Just give me a little more time," Pike said softly as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.


	7. Vulcan Kisses

"So what is a bond like?" Christopher Pike asked lazily. He was stretched out on his couch with Sadara laying on half on top of him. The question made Sadara's left eyebrow lift as she pondered her response.

"Having never been bonded, I don't know from experience honestly. I have been in mind melds before, which is said to be similar, but temporary and less personal. Melds are typically brief and usually specific information is sought and shared. The marriage bond is a much more permanent link and the mental and emotional sharing is intensely more personal."

Pike chuckled as he rubbed her back gently and lazily. "I gathered that much. What I'm curious about is how it feels?"

"According to my mother, the marriage bond takes some getting used to, especially for a non Vulcan," Sadara replied and her eyebrows knit in concentration as she tried to come up with some sort of description that would closely resemble an experience or sensation that Pike could relate to.

"It's sort of like an itch you can't scratch or a missing or loose tooth you're constantly drawn to. At least that's what my father said it was like for the first few weeks until he became used to it enough that he wasn't constantly distracted by it. Basically you have to get used to the fact that you're not truly alone in your own head anymore. If you and I bonded, we would both feel what the other feels, especially the more intense emotions. Thoughts could be shared as well. Over time you would learn to block me from thoughts and feelings you wish to keep private, but that would come with practice. Essentially, we'd become a part of each other in a very permanent way. Only a healer would be capable of severing the bond. This is why divorce is not very common among Vulcans."

Pike said nothing for a long moment, digesting her words. The intense intimacy of the bond sounded both heavenly and hellish. Heavenly to experience another person's love for him from her own perspective and experience; and to know that she felt his love for her in the same vein. Still, the prospect of having very little privacy as a result did sound invasive and distracting.

Sadara watched his expression carefully. Perhaps a temporary, light link between them would give her significant other the opportunity to test drive the experience; and give him the insight to make an educated decision on whether it was something he'd enjoy on a more permanent basis. It was tempting, but whispers of caution and hesitation fluttered through her mind. She had never initiated such a link before; setting it too deeply could result in a permanent marriage bond. With an effort, Sadara willed those thoughts away. Seven year old children forged these links at betrothal ceremonies regularly, albeit with the aid of an elder.

"I believe I can offer you a way to "test drive" the experience on a temporary basis if you'll permit me."

Pike tilted his head to look at her with curiosity. This sounded like it should prove rather enlightening. "How so?"

"A light link that will dissolve on its own within several days. I should be able to terminate it sooner if you wish it."

"And if it doesn't?" Pike wanted to make certain he had enough information about what he was getting into before he decided to go ahead with this.

"An experienced healer might be required at that point," Sadara admitted. She didn't want to kill his confidence in her, but at the same time, the truth was required here.

"Mostly owing to my young age, I am inexperienced with such things, but I'm not suggesting anything that isn't routinely and successfully practiced by my peers on Vulcan who are just as inexperienced," the Vulcan/Human woman continued. "There's a first time for everything, as they say."

Pike nodded. "I trust you. Go for it."

Sadara smiled warmly, oddly excited to share this aspect of Vulcans with her lover. She had always figured that any relationship she might have with a human would be experienced more according to human custom than Vulcan custom, but Pike seemed quite enthusiastic about exploring a more Vulcan marital experience. The spirited brunette simply loved him too much to deny him something he wanted.

"First though… I'm going to show you what Vulcans consider a kiss," she said as she raised her right hand with her index and middle fingers extended toward Pike.

Pike appeared uncertain for a moment, but remembered he had seen Sadara's own parents do something similar on a few occasions in the time he had known them. Still somewhat unsure of himself in this, he tentatively raised his own right hand and his fingers crossed with hers. Suddenly, he felt her mind open up to his at the physical contact and he could feel what she felt and hear her thoughts. He felt her love for him blossom open to him like a rose on a warm spring day. He wasn't certain how to do it right, but he tried to reciprocate; and Sadara nodded her head slightly, indicating he was headed in the right direction.

_This telepathic contact between mates is very important in a Vulcan marriage,_ she projected to him. _It helps with mental and emotional stability to have the contact between family members. In a culture where such sentiments are not expressed openly, it is comforting for Vulcans to communicate in this manner and know that they are wanted and needed._

Sadara slightly deepened the link so that it would last several days and then slowly and carefully eased back the contact until they were left with the light link in place between them. She watched Pike carefully, gauging his reaction to the subtle hum of her own mind in his.

"Your father was right," Pike chuckled deeply. "It is rather distracting at first."

"The longer you try to endure it, the more you will get used to it. Eventually, it will become as natural and as part of you as your own heartbeat."

Pike nodded and smiled up at her. "I can't deny that I love feeling how much you care for me."

"Something you might be able to experience for the rest of your life if you decide you want the permanent bond at some point," she reminded him.

"I'll let you know," the good Starfleet admiral teased.

Sadara's only response to that was to swat him gently with a couch pillow.


	8. Trouble in Paradise

**Can't have this be too fairy tale perfect so rocky times ahead. Thanks to everyone who faves, follows, or reviews. Those things inspire me to write often.**

Sadara had been right. The light bond had become less distracting as time went by and he became used to it. In fact, Chris Pike was hardly looking forward to the fast approaching day when the link would dissolve on its own and he'd lose the comforting presence of her mind in his. He wondered if the loss would feel as uncomfortable and distracting as the initial few days of the bond had been. It was a sensation he was hardly looking forward to.

He had just pulled up a set of orders on the computer monitor on his desk; his bright blue eyes widening in surprise at the unexpected contents. He had been given temporary command of the USS Lexington for a short, but potentially dangerous mission near Klingon space. There had been suspicions and reports that the Klingons were attempting to colonize worlds in locations that posed a greater threat to the security of the Federation; and Pike's mission was to confirm or refute those findings.

Rear Admiral Christopher Pike leaned back in his chair. His head fell back and he gazed at the ceiling as conflicting thoughts and emotions warred within him. The slightly graying, but still attractive man often missed starship command, but had accepted that those days were long gone due to the lingering physical effects of the damage done by the Centuarian slug those few years ago. He was shocked to be given the chance to command a starship again, but grateful that his superiors still believed he had value as one.

He wasn't certain how his love, Sadara was going to take the news though. She had been under the same impressions as he had about any possibilities of shipping back out on a starship so this would come as a surprise to her as well. Being a Starfleet brat herself, the young hybrid was only too familiar with the experience of her own father shipping in and out of her life when she was a child. Though Pike had been lonely for many years, he had chosen to remain single in order to spare any potential family the painful experience that Sadara and her mother had endured with Brian's long absences. Apparently, he and Sadara were going to have to face this after all. She was very young, but he devoutly hoped she would take it in stride.

Acknowledging his orders, Pike rose from his desk. The Lexington was due to ship out at 1000 hours the following morning, which meant he needed to board her that evening and meet with the department heads to ensure that everything was ready for the mission ahead.

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The following morning, Pike stepped out of the shuttle onto the USS Lexington. He had shown up a few hours early in order to run through the tedious, but mandatory inspections. Still, they were regulation and with good reason. It was never wise to discover problems during a mission when they could be found beforehand. As he quickly strode through the corridors, the charismatic admiral's thoughts strayed to the evening before.

He had arrived back at his apartment to find a rather tense Sadara waiting for him and he had remembered the link between them, realizing he probably hadn't shielded his thoughts from her. She had been aware of his orders through that link. She had brought take out so that they wouldn't have to spend a good portion of the evening cooking and cleaning. Other than mentioning her surprise at the orders, she hadn't said much about it, though Pike could feel the tension, worry, and fear infiltrating their bond. For one horrifying instant, he wondered if he'd be able to function during the mission with Sadara's emotions feeding off of his if the situation turned tense. All of a sudden the link seemed like a potential liability and he wondered how Vulcans coped like this all their lives. He considered asking her to dissolve it early, but talked himself out of it quickly. He had wanted to experience their relationship with its Vulcan aspects as well and this bond was part of that. They needed to face this with the link intact. Discarding it when it was inconvenient wasn't a true test of the strength of their relationship.

Sadara had remained the night at Pike's request; and she had asked him to wake her before he left in the morning. The pretty brunette had to face the prospect that the man she loved was embarking on a potentially dangerous mission and might not return to her alive, though she had tried to think more positive thoughts.

Pike hadn't liked leaving her with worried, foreboding tears in her sapphire eyes, but duty had called and he was a man of duty if nothing else.

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The mission had been quiet until the end. They had been using intense and detailed sensor sweeps to comb through the planets indicated on the reports and for the first day or so, the Lexington had discovered nothing out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, the final M class world had some disturbing finds. Apparently it wasn't the Klingons setting up camp, but rather a band of dissenting Orions erecting underground bases of operations, probably in an effort to bolster their smuggling rings. The Lexington's sensors had stumbled upon the find just in time. A day or so later and they'd have had shields and the like up, sufficient to obscure their presence.

Upon being detected however, the Orions launched several of their much smaller, but more maneuverable tactical vessels to attack the Lexington. The larger and powerful Federation starship was slower, but prevailed with an experienced leader calling the shots. Still, the Lexington has taken a fair bit of damage.

Making his report to Starfleet Command, Pike advised them that it was possible that those other M class worlds might have similar activities underground that had been shielded properly before the Lexington arrived. His response from the powers that be was to bring the Lexington home for repairs while Starfleet pondered its next course of action in the matter. Most of the time Orions weren't a problem; in fact, some served in Starfleet. The smugglers could be the occasional pain in the ass though.

Returning to Earth, Pike reported in to Admiral Thomas Lochlan before setting out to find Sadara.

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He found her sitting by the door to his apartment.

"Chris, I can't do this," Sadara whispered shakily through her tears as she looked up at him. The misery and sorrow in her large eyes was unmistakable and Pike's breath caught in his throat.

"The bond or us?" Pike croaked. He had been afraid something like this last mission would spook her and his heart seized at the realization that his fears appeared to be manifesting into stark white reality.

"Both! Through this infernal link I put between us I could feel everything during that mission. Do you have any idea the hell that was to have to experience something like that when I wasn't even there?! I had no way of knowing what was going on, how bleak the situation was, if you were coming home alive, but I could feel how stressed, tense, and anxious you felt at the end. I thought it was bad enough just knowing my dad could come home a corpse any day, but to actually feel those emotions from someone you love as events are unfolding is a nightmare. I'm not sure I can do this if the powers that be keep sending you out there!"

He lowered himself to the floor next to her and was silent for a moment. "I know this wasn't what we'd expected given my injury, but I'm still a Starfleet officer and I have a duty to carry out orders, missions, whatever the service calls upon me to do."

"Maybe I can't handle being involved with a Starfleet officer then!" Sadara rose abruptly and Pike looked up at her in disbelief, the pain brightening his wide blue eyes. She couldn't possibly mean what it sounded like? He was still in love with her and was positive that was still true for her about him. His hearbeat pounded in his ears until Pike wasn't sure he could hear anything else. And if he was honest with himself, he was shocked to hear it all and wondered how his heart managed to continue at all given how thoroughly broken it felt.

He rubbed his temples for a moment before looking up at her again and pleading with her. "Sadara, please. This isn't what either one of us wants, you know that!"

"I need time, Chris," she said as a fresh stream of tears tracked down her cheeks. Chris stood, reaching out for her, but she fled down the hall. Pike wanted to follow her, make her see that she was just scared, but he didn't think he'd be able to catch her with his limp. He would have to find a different way to get through to her.


	9. Facing Fears

"Guess what came across your grandfather's desk this morning?"

Admiral Brian Lochlan held out a slim datapadd as he came to a halt in front of his only daughter, Sadara. He had found her in a familiar place she often went to when troubled; under the same tree she and Chris Pike had first plucked at their guitars together. To be honest, her father had been surprised to find her here given that she and Pike had spent a lot of time here. He would have figured she might have found a different spot on this occasion than one with so many memories attached. Still, it was his first instinct to look here.

Sadara glanced up at him, looking a wreck; eyes swollen and tired from crying. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and curiosity as she took in the thin tablet in her father's large hand. She had a feeling she knew what was on it, but she hoped she was wrong and she swallowed hard, almost afraid to ask.

"Chris resigned this morning," her father continued. "And while your grandfather and I don't have the foggiest idea why, we can only surmise that it has something to do with your relationship. He looked just like you do right now when he came in this morning. So do you want to tell me what happened or do I have to make it an order?"

Sadara's sapphire eyes widened in horror. In no way had she seen that coming. "He resigned?!"

She buried her face in her hands and took a deep breath. After a long moment she finally let her hands fall to her lap and her father lowered himself to sit under the tree next to her. The temperature was a little toasty out for the admiral, especially as he was in that heavy uniform, but he was willing to endure it because he knew the heat was comfortable to his half Vulcan daughter.

The forlorn brunette let her head fall back against the tree and was silent for a moment, trying to find the words.

"It's my fault, dad. I'm responsible for that resignation. I all but broke things off with him last night. I left it sort of open ended with the possibility of getting back together, but I did tell him I wasn't sure I could handle being the wife of a Starfleet officer."

She swallowed hard and continued.

"He was curious about what a Vulcan bond feels like between two people and allowed me to establish a light link between us. Unfortunately, the link had yet to dissolve when he was sent on that mission and he hadn't yet learned how to completely block me from his thoughts and emotions. I vicariously experienced what he did in a way and it scared me. It was like my childhood all over again. What if he doesn't come back? What if you hadn't come back? How did you and mom endure that for so many years?"

The red headed admiral digested his daughter's words for a moment. In the background, the sounds the city surrounding Starfleet Headquarters and the Academy filtered through; aircars shooting passed overhead, people chatting and going on about their business, and the birds chirping away in the cheerful summertime air. It was a stark contrast to the depressing situation he was currently facing with his impulsive young daughter.

"I've never known you to run from anything before," Lochlan said finally. "So I'm shocked by this, though I do understand how you feel. I've felt similar things from your mom over the years, though she's never voiced them aloud. There are no guarantees in life about anyone's safety, even if they aren't in the service. You know that. You have to make a choice here. You can either brave the rough seas and enjoy the time you two have together; to make the most of it and try not to take it for granted. Or you can throw in the towel now and live with regret the rest of your life, never knowing what could have been."

Lochlan rose to his feet, stretching slightly. What he wouldn't give to be his daughter's age again… Sadara watched him thoughtfully.

"It's your call, kiddo," he said, holding up the datapadd once more. "Either your love for Chris is stronger than your fear or it isn't. Either way, I think you know what the right thing to do about this is. This is how much he apparently loves you. Only you can show him how much you love him. Your grandfather made him take a few days of leave to rest and think it all over so go find him."

He pointed the datapadd at her and then tucked it back under his arm and wandered back the way he came, leaving his only child with much to think about.

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Sadara had remained sitting under her tree for a short while longer. She'd needed the time to process the conversation with her father and sort the whole situation out in her head. It didn't help that she wasn't sure what she wanted to say to Chris when she found him. Ultimately, she decided that writing a script wasn't the way to go. She was going to have to say simply what was in her heart.

She dropped by the coffee shop around the corner from the apartment complex he lived in to see if he might be there as he often was on his days off. She didn't see him so she made her way up to his apartment. Her heart pounded against her ribs, but she didn't hesitate to knock at the door. She was certain he'd know who it was by the knock. Sadara never had been able to knock loudly or pound on someone's door. It used to startle her as a child when others did that so she'd learned to be gentle when it was her turn.

After a long moment, the door opened gently. Pike's blue eyes widened with shock. Even though the knock certainly had sounded like hers, he still couldn't believe his own eyes when he saw her there. She looked as miserable as he felt, but hope shone in her eyes. Breathing a sigh of relief that he was home, the young hybrid smiled tiredly.

"Hello, Chris." She said nothing else, waiting for a reaction.

"Sadara, hi. Come in."

Pike stepped aside slowly and let Sadara take a few hesitant steps into the apartment she knew so well. The situation was awkward as hell and Sadara's arms came up around her as if she were chilled. She really didn't know where to start.

For what felt like an eternity, deathly silence hung between them like a thick curtain. It was Chris Pike who finally spoke.

"I um… I resigned my commission this morning. If that's what it takes so I don't lose you, then that's what I'm willing to do." His voice was deep, but soft, nearly a whisper.

She looked up at him. The sting of how painful the decision was for him to end his career was evident even though the last vestiges of the link between them had dissolved over the last day or so.

"You don't have to do that, Chris," she whispered back. "I'm the one who has to learn to make sacrifices and face my fears. I… was scared. Scared that something awful would happen to you and you'd never come back. I wasn't thinking at the time that I'd lose you for sure if I ran from this relationship. All I knew was that I was overwhelmed by all I'd felt through the link during the final parts of your mission."

Pike leaned back against the counter, resting his hands on the edge of the countertop. It took an effort to not cross his arms defensively in front of him as she had when she first came into the room, but he wanted his body language to signal his openness to her. If there was a way to salvage their love for each other, he wanted to do everything he could to facilitate that outcome.

"It wasn't peaches for me either, Sadara. I haven't learned yet to block those things from you so I could feel how it affected you at the same time I was also trying to deal with that situation. I can't even begin to tell you how much that hurt me."

Sadara chuckled ruefully. "I guess you'll never want to bond for real then?"

Pike was hardly in a joking mood and his expression remained dead serious and solemn. "Actually, I really miss it, Sadara. I miss feeling you with me everywhere I go, no matter what you're feeling or what you're thinking. I miss because no matter where I went, with or without you, I could always feel your love for me and I could always return the same. Most humans don't experience that."

Sadara nodded and moved closer to him. She wanted to throw herself in his arms, but he didn't appear ready for that yet. She really couldn't blame him. Her blue eyes met his.

"I miss it too. I love you, Chris." She paused for a moment, feeling the hot sting of her tears brimming in her tired eyes. "And I'm sorry. You didn't deserve what I did to you yesterday. Don't quit Starfleet over this. You love Starfleet. I'm not going anywhere; at least not if you wish me to stay."

Pike pushed himself up from the counter he was leaning against and he closed the remaining distance between them. "My feelings didn't die overnight," he said softly, finally smiling slightly. "I love you. Of course I want you to stay."

Joy and relief flooded through the both of them simultaneously, but with the link dissolved it felt strange to have nothing to go on except words and body language.

"Really?!" Sadara said, as if she couldn't believe it. She thought for sure she'd wrecked everything beyond repair before she'd even come over to talk to him. She was elated to find that wasn't the case. She had to admit she was probably a luckier woman than she deserved to be; at least at the moment. Pike really was an amazing man.

Pike nodded, a bright, happy smile lighting up his face for the first time in days. "Really," he said as he pulled her close for a deep, long kiss. "But I want the bond for real this time."

Sadara nodded with a chuckle. "Consider it done."


	10. Never and Always

Pike bounded up the front porch steps of the Lochlan household with an ease and energy he hadn't realized he still had. Even the limp hadn't seemed to be bothering him that day. He had contacted Brian Lochlan the night before after the emotional reconciliation with Sadara and Lochlan had invited the younger admiral over for brunch in the hopes that it would help put Pike more at ease about whatever it was he wished to discuss.

Lochlan hadn't yet learned of the reconciliation and so he had no clue what it was Pike wanted to see him about. They didn't normally talk shop away from Starfleet Headquarters so the Irishman could only speculate that the discussion would involve Pike's relationship with Lochlan's daughter.

For Pike, this meeting would be exciting for a couple of reasons. The first being he was elated that the relationship with Sadara had not ended in hearbreak as he'd feared. And second, the first reason meant that this would, if all went well, be the last time that Admiral Christopher Pike had to feel like a teenager or young man asking the girlfriend's father for anything. It had felt intensely awkward at his age to be asking another man for permission to do anything, but given Sadara's age and the fact that he had served with her father for a number of years, Pike had found that the only appropriate way to even approach his relationship with her was to honor some old fashioned courtship customs.

Pike rang the doorbell and waited patiently, nervously. Years of Starfleet discipline had trained him not to fidget even though the urge to was nearly overwhelming. He straightened his gray and white uniform and tucked the cap under his arm now that he was under the cover of the porch. He had plans of dropping into the office briefly afterwards to pick up some work he was threatening to fall behind on, hence the uniform on a leave day. And he had to get his resignation off of Admiral Thomas Lochlan's desk.

Pike's heart pounded in nervous anticipation. He began to understand why many couples just eloped. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly just as Brian Lochlan pulled the door open.

"Chris, come in! Come in! What can I get you to drink? Coffee? Tea? Beer?"

That last suggestion was tinged with humor, obviously alluding to the discussion looming ever closer, though Pike was certain if he wanted a beer Brian would certainly make it possible even at 1030 in the morning.

"Coffee would be great, sir," Pike said as he followed Lochlan into the kitchen.

"I fired up a casserole for brunch if you're hungry. Help yourself," Lochlan gestured to the table where a few places had been set. "My wife decided to take Minister Kuvak out sight seeing for a few hours so you and I could chat amongst ourselves. An amazing woman, Solara. She often seems to know what I need or want even before I do."

Lochlan pulled a chair out and sat down, pouring coffee for both of them. Then he dug into the casserole and loaded his plate, indicating for Pike to do the same.

"Hasn't always been smooth sailing though," the older man continued. "Lots of cultural differences and challenges. But every minute has been worth it. Communication and acceptance are the keys."

He popped the first bite into his mouth and regarded his fellow admiral seriously. "So… what can I do for you, Chris?"

Pike straightened slightly. It would be best to get to the point quickly so the butterflies in his stomach would stop tying it in knots and he'd feel hungry enough to eat the delicious smelling casserole.

"I came to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage, sir."

That surprised the older admiral. "You two have spoken then and reconciled?"

"Yes, sir. Last night, sir."

Lochlan chuckled and shook his head. "Brian, Chris. You can call me Brian. No one in my family calls me sir. And permission granted."

With a sigh of relief, Pike smiled finally and took the hand that Lochlan offered with a firm grasp. "Thank you, Brian."

"Now eat. You look like you're losing weight by the nanosecond. And then get out of here and go spend the day with Sadara. Those are orders."

"And nobody in your family calls you sir?" Pike laughed.

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"The bond would mean that we'd be legally married by Vulcan custom," Sadara reminded Pike as they lowered themselves onto his couch. "Are you absolutely certain this is what you want?"

The smell of coffee wafted in from the kitchen and from the mug that Pike held in his hands. He drank coffee at all times of the day; and with balance restored to his personal life, had found his appetite again. He took a sip of the bitter liquid, finding it slightly too hot still and gently set it on the coffee table to cool for a few minutes while he attempted to reassure his ladylove. He was sure she was confused about how he could possibly be so willing and enthusiastic about embracing marriage after the events of the last few days. The truth was the link they shared had left him with no doubts about her love for him; and he was satisfied that she'd learned something valuable about the effort and commitment involved in serious relationships.

"Sadara… sweetheart. All is forgiven. I believe you learned something and you won't make that mistake again. I trust you. And I want to marry you; preferably before I really am an old man."

"Now?"

"Now," he confirmed, taking her hand gently.

The Vulcan/Human hybrid didn't doubt his conviction. "And what are we going to tell my parents?"

"I already took care of that. I spoke to your father this morning and asked for your hand. The only one who still needs to say yes is you."

"Well of course, yes. You didn't tell me when you left this morning that you were going to my father's house."

"And ruin the surprise?" Pike smiled. He picked up his coffee mug again and took another sip now that the dark liquid had cooled.

"True enough. Alright then." The young brunette gestured for him to set the mug down again and she slowly raised her left hand to his face, locating the psi points.

Between two Vulcans, her action would have been reciprocated, but as Sadara was the only Vulcan the bulk of the work sealing the marriage bond was hers. Fortunately, it wasn't a particularly difficult task; and as Pike had already experienced the light link from the week prior, he had some idea of what to expect and his mind felt more open to her this time. It touched her heart that he was so trusting of her and wanted this union with her so much.

Quickly, she sought out the same part of his mind that she'd used for the light link and anchored the much deeper bond there. Her presence in his mind was louder and more intense this time, but she assured him telepathically that he would be accustomed to that sensation as he had the link and that the intensity would fade after a few days. She also began to feel the same presence of his strong mind in hers. Their thoughts and emotions twined with each other and they tasted each other's memories, hopes, and desires. Their deep, abiding love for each other radiated through the bond and permeated their beings along with the strong undercurrents of physical attraction.

Realizing that the bond was holding strong, Sadara gently removed her fingertips from Pike's face. The spots where her warm fingertips had been suddenly felt cold, but Pike felt lit with joy from within thanks to the newly forged marriage bond.

Her sapphire eyes never leaving Pike's, Sadara held up two fingers in the customary Vulcan kiss and Pike met them with his own.

"Chris, parted from me and never parted; never and always touching and touched. To you, my husband, I consecrate all that I am."

"Sadara, my wife," he whispered back and pulled her mouth to his for a deep, longing kiss.


	11. Pillow Talk

Pike awoke the next morning to find himself still snuggled up against Sadara. In fact, she was still lying on his arm which he fully expected would retaliate with the dreaded "pins and needles" sensation once he adjusted her head back against a pillow where it belonged. He tried his best to move his arm without waking his new wife, but she stirred nonetheless and he smiled down at her warmly when she turned her head to look back at him.

"Good morning," he chuckled.

Sadara smiled and sat up so the legendary Starfleet officer could get up. Like her, he probably needed to hit the necessary first thing in the morning; and she wasn't one to hold someone up when nature called.

He wasn't gone long, returning to the comfortable queen size bed and pulling Sadara back into a close embrace. Planting a gentle kiss on her forehead, he stroked her shoulder length brown hair, inhaling the floral scent. After a moment, he chuckled.

"What?" She asked with amusement. She was intensely curious what he found so amusing all of a sudden. She supposed she could just probe his mind with the newly forged marriage bond they shared, but she had to admit she loved conversation just as much. And probing his thoughts for all her answers wasn't the best way to indicate trust in a relationship; at least not until he was more used to the bond.

"I never realized how much of a tug of war there was between your Vulcan and Human halves until I could hear your thoughts through the bond. I guess I thought that you just picked one over the other or picked and chose what aspects of each culture worked for you and that was that."

Sadara smiled slightly. It didn't surprise her to learn that others might mistakenly think that hybrids merely made choices between cultural aspects of their homeworlds, but it wasn't that easy. Having been raised by parents from cultures that were nearly polar opposites in so many ways, there always seemed to be an ongoing debate in Sadara's head when she thought about things, tried to solve problems, or made decisions. One half sought logic, pragmatism, and practicality even when being such was harsh or callous. The other half was idealistic, emotional, and abstract; and balancing the two was no easy task. In fact, Sadara was light years away from accomplishing any semblance of balance between her two warring halves.

"It's not that easy I'm afraid," she said. "I suppose hybrids are the only ones out there that can say they argue with themselves and not be sent to the Federation Funny Farm. I was raised in two cultures; influenced by the human side more so than the Vulcan side because my mother is a Vulcan among humans rather than the reverse. It's still there though; the Vulcan influence. Perhaps I make it look easy; like I just decided to act more human, but I've really had to examine both cultures over the years and think about what values and beliefs from each are relevant and appeal to me."

The Vulcan/Human hybrid fell silent for a moment, pondering her next words. She wanted to find some way to describe it that Pike could relate to.

"I suppose it's sort of like having parents that have different views on religion, politics, and so on. Growing up, you have to decide for yourself if those views are consistent with your own personality, experiences, and worldview. They may not necessarily turn out to be the same as either of your parents.

Pike nodded, thinking he understood what she was trying to say. "But for you being Vulcan and Human when they are so different from each other, it's like having to decide on one way of life or the other."

"Exactly. Ideally I would like to find a balance, but it's such an evolving process. Perhaps as I gain more life experience, I'll be able to integrate more of my Vulcan half into my way of life. It's just a matter of finding what's relevant and useful for me as a person."

Pike kissed her forehead again and rubbed her back comfortingly. "Well thank you for sharing that with me. I hadn't realized how much of a struggle it was for hybrids to sort things out, but now I think I understand more what you and Spock go through."

Sadara nodded. "Everyone has struggles, Chris. Hybrids just have unique ones. We'll manage somehow. Now were you interested in breakfast or should we just lay here in bed all day?"


	12. Accidents

Shaking himself awake, Admiral Christopher Pike untangled himself from the covers with an angry motion and bolted into the living room to retrieve the relentlessly chirping communicator on his desk. Flipping it open, he scrolled through the message and he was shocked fully awake at the nightmarish contents. He felt frozen in place, almost unable to even breathe lest the message seem even more horrifically real.

Sadara had been offworld for the last week visiting her mother on New Vulcan. An intense earthquake had struck very near her location and she and her mother had been listed in critical condition at the local hospital.

His hand shaking slightly, Pike set the communicator back down and took a deep breath. Earlier in the day he'd had a feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite pinpoint why and had wrote the feeling off as one of those strange symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. He had fought against the diagnosis, fearing that it would make him seem weak to others, but it was what it was; and in the end he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised given how much he'd been through in his life. This time it wasn't him though. This time it was his young wife of the last year whose life was in jeopardy; and the legendary Starfleet officer fervently wished he could just beam over to New Vulcan from his own apartment. That was still beyond current technology though so Admiral Pike lowered himself heavily and wearily into his desk chair and brought up the pertinent forms requesting emergency leave and then booked the next shuttle headed for New Vulcan.

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A middle aged Vulcan woman dressed in nurse's garb appeared out of the nearby lift that Pike had exited a few moments before; and she glanced up from what appeared to be a patient chart, catching the human male out of the corner of her large, wide set brown eyes. She wasn't surprised to see a human on New Vulcan. Many were present assisting in the efforts to get the Vulcan race back on its feet again.

"Do you require assistance?" She asked politely, but neutrally.

"I was told that Sadara Pike was located on this floor. I'm her husband, Christopher."

"T'Vari. If you will excuse me for a few moments, I will see what information I can get for you."

She disappeared behind a set of double doors that swished open for her and then hissed shut behind her again, leaving the middle aged human male pacing with a slight limp out in the pristine, stark white corridor. All at once he felt nearly intolerable impatience for news warring with the terror that it might be the worst news imaginable. A year ago, he had married Sadara with the optimism that life might cut him a break for once and not take away practically everyone he'd ever cared about. Now with his young wife fighting for her life, Chris Pike was left to wonder why tragedy loomed so large in his life.

What had only been maybe a few minutes felt like eternity to the nervously and impatiently pacing Starfleet admiral, but finally a middle aged Vulcan emerged from the room that the nurse had entered a few moments earlier. Being Vulcan, his stoic expression revealed no clues about Sadara's condition.

"Christopher?"

Pike stopped and faced him. "That's right. My wife? How is she?" He asked, his voice low and soft, but tinged with hope.

"Stabilized for the moment, but still critical," the doctor replied in his gravelly voice. "I'm Dr. Sevel. Unfortunately, your wife and her mother were working near a fairly heavy piece of equipment when the quake occurred. They were pinned for a short while, but were found quickly and brought here. Your wife sustained internal injuries. These first few days will be the most challenging. If she survives the next 48 hours, I am optimistic that she'll recover."

The last sentence struck Pike like a phaser blast at full range and he managed to stumble backwards toward the chair near the wall and lower himself into it. He felt numb and unable to stand. After a long moment, he looked back up at the dark haired doctor.

"Can I see her?" Pike asked, hoarsely.

"Briefly," the doctor responded. That particular area wasn't normally open to visitors, but given the situation, Dr. Sevel decided to allow it for a few moments. He knew that for Humans, seeing was believing so he thought it best for both Sadara and Pike if Pike could see her alive with his own eyes. "If you'll follow me."

They journeyed a short distance down the corridor beyond the double doors and entered a small room on the left. Sadara was pale and unresponsive and was hooked up to a couple of monitors, one of which Pike wasn't certain the purpose of.

Dr. Sevel studied the readings on both for a moment. "Fortunately, your unborn child has been unaffected thus far."

Looking up at the human male, the Vulcan doctor raised an eyebrow in curiosity and surprise as he noted the stunned expression on Pike's handsome face.

"Did you not know Sadara was expecting?"

"No," Pike croaked, taking Sadara's hand and squeezing gently. "She said she had something to tell me when she returned to Earth next week, but she said it was a surprise and that I'd have to wait."

"I see," Sevel nodded. "Whatever happens with Sadara, Christopher, we can save the baby."

Pike's eyes closed and he nodded with effort, trying to fight back the tears stinging his bright blue eyes. His strong hand found Sadara's middle and he thought of the tiny life they'd created. A tiny life that could have been snuffed out by this horrible quake.

It took all his effort to leave her, but Pike knew he couldn't stay there and so he thanked Dr. Sevel and left the hospital to join Sadara's father, Brian in drowning their sorrows and worries.


	13. Fathers and Daughters

Chris Pike joined his colleague and father in law, Brian at the local dive bar. Even though this was a Vulcan colony, there were a number of other races present among the colonists so various forms of entertainment were available in certain areas. Pike found the slightly older man up at the bar, hunched over what looked like one of several now empty shot glasses. Pike's eyebrows knitted in concern. He'd never known Brian to be a drinker, certainly not a heavy one.

Quietly, Pike settled himself onto the stool next to Brian and glanced at him. He remained silent, not sure what to say.

"You know, I never expected to feel this kind of fear again. As the Starfleet officer, I expected that it would be me that would bite the bullet first. Seeing them out cold on those hospital beds today… it took me right back to the last time I saw them that way. I thought I'd seen some scary shit in my travels in Starfleet, but nothing could hold a candle to the fear of losing my wife and baby."

Brian said suddenly as he picked up the new shot the bartender placed in front of him and tossed it back.

"Of course we'd been told that a pregnancy might be difficult for Solara and a hybrid baby, but a family was something we'd wanted so we risked it. Solara, as strong as Vulcans are, had a nightmarish pregnancy. We were constantly in and out of the hospital because her body kept trying to attack the pregnancy like a foreign presence. They are in a way, but in most cases, the immune system is weakened slightly to protect the unborn child. For whatever reason, this wasn't happening with Solara. She kept going into labor and was constantly getting fevers and chills like she was fighting off some infection. The doctors had been able to stop it each time until the eighth month when it became obvious that mother and daughter couldn't endure it any longer. Sadara was developed enough that she would likely survive despite being two months early. I wish they'd just done a cesarean section, but Solara refused. They almost didn't survive labor."

Pike took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He still wasn't sure what would be comforting to say; and he wondered if Brian knew about his coming grandchild. The thought of Sadara enduring what her mother had was not a comforting thought to the rear admiral. He doubted that Brian would scare him like that if he'd known that Pike had just found out he was going to be a father himself. He reached out and placed a comforting hand on Brian's shoulder and then ordered a few shots for himself as the bartender wandered by.

"I was just in there," Pike said softly. "If Sadara makes it the next 48 hours they believe she'll make a full recovery.

The red headed Irishman nodded. "They said similar to me. Solara is expected to wake soon. Her injuries weren't quite as severe. It was harder to see Sadara because she'll always be my little girl. Seeing her out cold in that hospital bed just threw me right back to watching her fight for her life in the NICU just after she was born. She didn't even weigh five pounds. That might sound like enough for a full human baby, but for a Vulcan baby, that's very small."

Pike looked down into the shot glass that materialized in front of him, contemplating if now was the time to clue Brian in on the fact that Sadara was pregnant. Waiting for a better time probably wasn't a good idea in case Sadara took a turn for the worst. And they were family now. Withholding information generally wasn't a good idea in these cases.

Pike downed the shot.

"Brian, Sadara is pregnant."

The older admiral's head snapped up, his light green eyes wide with surprise and not a little fear given the recent subject matter.

"Dr. Sevel mentioned it when I was there. He thought I already knew, but Sadara had just found out herself and hadn't told me yet."

Hot tears stung Brian's eyes unbidden. The last thing he wanted was another grown man to see him cry, but it seemed as if the knowledge that he was going to be a grandfather was the straw that broke the camel's back. Immense joy warred with nearly intolerable fear and grief.

Pike looked away to give Brian some space and flagged down the bartender for another round of shots. He figured they were close to being cut off at this point.

"I'm thrilled for you, Chris. I'm just… I'm just afraid Sadara will go through what her mother did. I don't want to see my baby girl suffer like that."

"I know that. I hope it doesn't come to that either. I'll make sure they're well taken care of though."

Clapping Pike on the shoulder, Brian downed his final shot and settled up with the bartender as his communicator beeped. He cocked his head in surprise just as Pike's communicator chirped as well.

"Sadara's awake…," Brian said, surprised. "They were expecting Solara to come around first."

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By the time they arrived, Sadara had been moved to a different part of the hospital more suitable for regular visitors, though she was obviously still attached to a few pieces of monitoring equipment. They both rushed in behind the attending physician and Pike leaned over Sadara, brushing her dark brown hair back from her pale face. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips and forehead and smiled down at her in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

"Chris… ashaya," she murmured, using the Vulcan term of endearment.

"Sweetheart," Pike sighed with overwhelming relief and joy. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you awake. I thought I was going to lose you. And our baby."

Sadara buried her face in his chest. "I am so sorry you had to find out this way. I meant to surprise you in person when I returned home next week."

"No apologies, Sadara. I'm just glad you two are going to be okay. So do you know what it is yet?"

That made the young woman chuckle. "Curious and impatient to learn about it already? Yes. It's a little girl, Chris."

His smile widened to the point Sadara thought it would split his face. He rarely smiled so openly and she cherished the sight every time he did.

Behind Chris, there was an impatient cough.

"Oh, I suppose I should let you see your dad for a few minutes," Pike said, reluctantly stepping out of the way.

Brian Lochlan dropped himself into the chair next to Sadara's bed for a few minutes and stroked her hair gently just like he had when she was a little girl trying to go to sleep. "Hey there, sunshine. Glad to see you're awake."

Sadara smiled warmly up at her father, but her expression faded after a moment, seeing the worry still clouding her father's bright green eyes. "How's mom?"

"Well, she was in better shape than you when you two were brought in, but she still hasn't woken up yet, at least not that I've heard. She's expected to make a full recovery though so don't fret. In fact, I think I'm going to wander back down the other way and see if I can find out while you and Chris spend some time together. I'll be back in a little while, kiddo."

He rose from the chair and gave Sadara a warm, reassuring smile and then disappeared out the door, leaving Pike to steal the chair the older man had just vacated.

"There," Pike said, jokingly. "See if he gets this back."


End file.
